During the Weekend Ka Vaar episode of Bigg Boss 19, host Salman Khan responded with sharp humor and pointed defiance to resurfacing allegations from director Abhinav Kashyap that he and his family have sabotaged careers in the Hindi film industry.
Shehnaaz Gill’s Praise Met with Salman’s Modesty
On stage together, Bigg Boss 13 alum Shehnaaz Gill expressed gratitude to Salman, saying, “Sir, aapne itnon ke career banaye hai” (“Sir, you’ve made so many people’s careers”). Salman deflected the praise, attributing success to divine providence: “Career banane waala toh upar waala hai” (“It’s God who makes careers”).
“Kaunsa Career Khaaya Maine?”
Turning to the sabotage claims, Salman delivered a pointed rebuttal:
“Laanchhan bhi daala hai ki kitno ke dubaaye hai… Kaunsa career khaaya maine? Par agar khao na toh main apna khud ka career khaa jaunga.”
(“There are allegations that I have drowned so many careers… Which career have I destroyed? If I could, I’d ruin my own first.”)
He acknowledged moments of complacency, “Kabhi kabhi main complacent hojaata hun” but emphasized his constant efforts to regain control and rectify course.
Abhinav Kashyap’s Accusations Resurface
The controversy reignited as film director Abhinav Kashyap, known for the 2010 blockbuster Dabangg, accused Salman and his family of wielding undue influence and punishing those who defy them.
Marking the film’s 15th anniversary, Kashyap labelled Salman a “gunda” (“goon”), alleging the Khans are “vindictive” and control the filmmaking process. He asserted that after he refused to direct Dabangg 2, his career was derailed, going so far as to claim his brother Anurag Kashyap faced similar obstruction when dropped from Salman’s Tere Naam project.
Industry Fallout and Legacy Context
Kashyap’s grievances are not new; tensions with the Khan family date back several years. The director’s follow-up film Besharam (2013) flopped, and Kashyap has long accused Salman’s family of sabotaging his opportunities.
Salman’s famous feud with Vivek Oberoi in the early 2000s, another example where perceived power dynamics led to speculation of career impact is part of this larger narrative of industry bullying and star hierarchy.
What Salman Really Said
In his Bigg Boss 19 reply, Salman sought to de-escalate the narrative with a mix of humor and humility. While acknowledging that he sometimes loses grip due to complacency, he insisted he doesn’t hold the power to build or bust careers, and even if he did, it would first harm his own.
Closing the Loop
This exchange spotlights longstanding tensions in Bollywood’s power corridors, where influence, loyalty, and reputation are frequently at odds. Salman’s public dismissal of the claims may ease immediate controversy, but Kashyap’s assertions continue to demand a broader conversation about fairness and control in the industry.
As both voices resurface in new media contexts, the larger question remains, who really shapes a star’s destiny: individuals, industry infrastructure, or higher forces at play?
By – Sonali